Jankowicz resigns as Biden's DHS pauses Government Disinformation Board
Executive Director Nina Jankowicz has tendered her resignation.
Criticism of the board is similar to national concerns about the infringement of free speech on America's college campuses.
The Biden Administration has shelved its Disinformation Governance Board (DGB) amid nationwide criticism that the initiative could infringe on Americans’ First Amendment rights.
Accordingly, DGB Executive Director Nina Jankowicz has tendered her resignation.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will launch an investigation into the plan and report back with a recommendation in 75 days, The Washington Post reports.
[RELATED: WATCH: Defending students’ free speech rights in the COVID era]
DHS Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas announced the creation of the board on Apr. 27. It immediately came under fire for its allegedly vague definition of disinformation, with critics dubbing the entity a “Ministry of Truth” in reference to George Orwell’s book 1984.
For, example Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton (R) tweeted Wednesday that, “The only reason Biden is pausing his Ministry of Truth is because he got caught.”
The only reason Biden is pausing his Ministry of Truth is because he got caught.
If Biden could have gotten away with it, he would have used the Department of Homeland Security to censor Americans.— Tom Cotton (@TomCottonAR) May 18, 2022
Likewise, Syracuse University Professor Shelly Palmer argued in 2021 that a so-called “Ministry of Truth” that scores the accuracy of people’s tweets is not necessarily a positive thing due to ambiguities in such a process.
[RELATED: WATCH: This conservative student is fighting for free speech on campus]
Criticism of the DGB is similar to national concerns about the infringement of free speech on America’s college campuses.
Campus Reform has reported on bias response teams in higher education and reports that students and staff file against each other.
In August 2021, Campus Reform reported that Montclair State University dissolved its Bias Education Response Taskforce after a court found that the initiative violated students’ First Amendment rights.
More recently, signs have been found on college campuses warning students that “free speech event[s]” are taking place in the vicinity or that “free speech is being exercised ahead.”
Campus Reform has contacted DHS, Shelly Palmer, and Senator Cotton for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.
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